The Internet Archive needs your help to store a copy of its digital collections in Canada

The Internet Archive, the San Francisco-based nonprofit that has served as a public repository for allthingsdigital for more than 20 years, has revealed plans to create a backup of its vast collection in Canada.

In a recent post on the archive’s official blog, Brewster Kahle, Founder & Digital Librarian, said one of the reasons they are building the Internet Archive of Canada is because “lots of copies keep stuff safe.”

Naturally, there’s more to it than that.

The author recalls waking up on November 9 to a new administration promising radical change (referring of course to Donald Trump winning the recent presidential election). The realization served as a firm reminder that institutions like the Internet Archive – built for the long-term – need to design for change.

For the Internet Archive, change means keeping cultural materials safe, private and perpetually accessible and preparing for a web that may face greater restrictions. The author adds that it means serving patrons in a world in which government surveillance is not going away but rather, looks as if it will increase.

Politics aside, it’s not exactly a bad idea to have an “off-site” back-up, especially of a collection as large as this where they are archiving 300 million web pages on a weekly basis.

The Internet Archive says its Canadian backup plan will cost “millions” and is asking for donations to help make it a reality. Those interested in providing tax-deductible financial support can do so over on their donation page.